Steam mop

Abstract

A steam mop including a mop housing is provided. The mop housing includes a water tank with a water inlet and a water outlet, a water pump with a pump inlet and a pump outlet and a boiler. A mop handle is connected to the mop housing at one end and a steam frame is connected to the housing at the opposite end. The water tank has a water inlet opening to a surface of the housing with a removable inlet cap where the surface of the housing about the cap has a funnel shape. The water pump is coupled to the outlet of the water tank and inlet of the boiler so that movement of the steam mop activates the pump to pump water from the water container to the boiler for the generation of steam. In addition, a steam frame assembly provided with a fabric steam pocket is selectively removable from the housing. The frame has an opening about the middle of rear wall for mounting a connector including a top end having a steam inlet for connecting to a steam housing and a bottom end having a pair of steam nozzles for connecting to the steam frame and a plurality of baffles are disposed perpendicular to the pair of steam nozzles between the front and rear walls.

1 . A steam mop, comprising:
 an elongated housing having an outer surface and two ends, the housing containing a water tank having a water inlet and a water outlet, a water pump having a pump inlet connected to the water outlet and a pump outlet, and a boiler connected to the pump outlet;   a mop handle connected to the housing at a first end;   a removable steam frame connected to the housing at a second end; and   the water tank having a water inlet opening to the surface of the housing and having a removable inlet cap and the surface of the housing about the cap indented to form a funnel about the water inlet opening; and   wherein movement of the steam mop activates the pump to pump water from the water tank to the boiler for generation of steam.   
   
   
       2 . The steam mop of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the housing includes at least one window to allow viewing of the level of water remaining in the water tank. 
   
   
       3 . The steam mop of  claim 2 , including a LED positioned in the tank to improve the viewing of the water tank. 
   
   
       4 . The steam mop of  claim 1 , wherein the mop housing has a bottom opening for connecting to a steam connector to the mop housing for delivering steam to the steam frame. 
   
   
       5 . The steam mop of  claim 4 , including a release button on the housing at the second end, the button having an arm extending across the bottom opening and a hole on the end of the arm;
 the connector including a stem for insertion into the bottom opening to engage the steam outlet and having a notch;   the bottom biased outwardly so that the hole is aligned with the axis of the bottom opening and adapted to receive the stem and engage the notch on the stem to hold the connector in place; and   wherein depressing the button release the arm from the notch to allow removal of the stem.   
   
   
       6 . A substantially rectangular steam frame assembly comprising:
 a front wall having a top and a bottom;   a rear wall having a top and a bottom;   a right side wall; and   a left side wall;   wherein a center baffle extends from the top and bottom of the front wall to the top and bottom of the rear wall to separate a first steam chamber and a second steam chamber;   wherein the rear wall has an opening at the middle of the rear wall for mounting a connector including a top end having a steam inlet for connecting to a steam housing and a bottom end having a pair of steam nozzles for connecting to the steam frame; and   a plurality of baffles alternating at the top of the front wall and the rear wall and at the bottom of the front wall and the rear wall disposed perpendicular to the pair of steam nozzles between the front and rear walls to form a surface for receiving a fabric pocket.   
   
   
       7 . A steam mop housing comprising a water tank having a water inlet and a water outlet, a water pump having a pump inlet connected to the water outlet and a pump outlet, and a boiler connected to the pump outlet, wherein the surface of the housing includes at least one window to allow viewing of the level of water remaining in the water tank. 
   
   
       8 . The steam mop housing of  claim 7 , wherein the water tank has a water inlet opening to the surface of the housing and a removable inlet cap and the surface of the housing about the cap indented to form a funnel about the water inlet opening, 
   
   
       9 . The steam mop housing of  claim 7 , including a LED positioned in the water tank to improve the viewing of the water tank. 
   
   
       10 . The steam mop housing of  claim 7 , wherein the mop housing has a bottom opening for connecting to a steam connector to the mop housing for delivering steam to a removable steam frame. 
   
   
       11 . The steam mop housing of  claim 10 , including a release button on the housing about a bottom opening, the button having an arm extending across the bottom opening and a hole on the end of the arm;
 the connector including a stem for insertion into the bottom opening to engage the steam outlet and having a notch;   the bottom biased outwardly so that the hole is aligned with the axis of the bottom opening and adapted to receive the stem and engage the notch on the stem to hold the connector in place; and   wherein depressing the button release the arm from the notch to allow removal of the stem.   
   
   
       12 . A steam mop, comprising:
 an elongated housing having an outer surface and two ends, the housing containing a water tank with a water inlet and a water outlet, a water pump having a pump inlet connected to the water outlet and a pump outlet, and a boiler connected to the pump outlet;   a mop handle connected to the housing at a first end;   a steam outlet and steam frame connection opening at the other end; and   a selectively removable steam frame having a connector releasably engaged with the housing at the second end;   the housing including a release button when depressed releases the engagement of the frame with the housing;   wherein movement of the steam mop activates the pump to pump water from the water tank to the boiler for generation of steam.   
   
   
       13 . The steam mop of  claim 12 , wherein the release button has an arm extending across the steam frame connection opening and a lever intersecting the opening for engaging the connector when inserted and the lever is displaced away from the connector to release the connector when the release button is depressed. 
   
   
       14 . The steam mop of  claim 12 , wherein the surface of the housing includes at least one window to allow viewing of the level of water remaining in the water tank. 
   
   
       15 . The steam mop of  claim 13 , including a LED positioned in the tank to improve the viewing of the water tank. 
   
   
       16 . The steam mop of  claim 12 , wherein the mop housing has a bottom opening for connecting to a steam connector to the mop housing for delivering steam to the steam frame.